Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 John 4

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

If John had need to say that in the early morning of Christianity, I am sure we ought to say it with greater emphasis today. It is certainly true in these days that many false prophets are gone out into the world, therefore we also must try the spirits whether they are of God.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirit whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

This is an exhortation for which there is great need in the present day, when so many accept anything that they hear from a "priest" or from a pastor without searching the Scriptures to see whether what they hear is in accordance with the inspired Word.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

It was so in John's day: it is so in these days. If there were only one false prophet, we would have need to be on our guard, but many false prophets are gone out into the world. If false prophets were all shut up in a cage, and we had to go to seek them, there might be some danger to be feared from them, but there is so much more danger now that we can truly read, Many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Beloved, believe not every spirit,—

A simpleton believes every word that he hears, but the wise man's eyes are in his head, so he examines what he sees and hears, and does not blindly accept whatever may be told to him. So John says, Believe not every spirit,—

But try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:

Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: If there is any question raised about the Deity and the humanity of Christ, do not listen any longer. When you taste the first morsel of meat from a joint, and you find that it is tainted, there is no necessity for you to eat all the rest to see if it is good; and if any man questions the true Divinity and the real humanity of Christ, have nothing to do with him, and give no heed to what he says, for he "is not of God."